Chez Panisse dilemma

Have reservations for Monday night prefix at Chez Panisse at 8:45. Staying in San Francisco and will have to travel to Brekley. Questioning whether we should keep reservation. Have never been there before. Any advise? Is it worth the late hour and taxi ride to go?

There is no shortage of opinions as to whether it is worth it or not, as a quick search will reveal. Do keep in mind that several recent posts expressing concern about service have referred to the upstairs cafe, not the downstairs restaurant where you will be dining (I fall into the worth it category myself, though I did have issues with the service upstairs last time I was there). That said, Monday night seems to be a favorite among some for its less expensive, more casual menu (my dinners downstairs have never been on Monday).

But you don't need a cab, at least not all the way. Check out www.511.org. You can take BART from San Francisco to the Downtown Berkeley station, then cab it from there. Just as easy and a whole lot cheaper than a cab from SF. Indeed, you can walk from the station (it is nine blocks, there are also directions on their website): it will be dark at that hour, but there should be lots of folks on the street, and the neighborhood isn't bad, so you could consider walking one way, taxi back to BART after dinner.

I'm not the biggest fan of Monday nights for out-of-towners. I love it for locals, because the meal is cheaper and more relaxed, but when I have taken people from elsewhere who wanted the true Chez Panisse "experience" they were disappointed on the Monday night (even when I loved the same meal).